Wednesday, October 20, 2010

The Art of People Watching.....,

Thursday, October 21, 2010.....

Often, I find watching people when they know they're not being observed to be very fascinating. Wait. Let's just clarify something...I don't own a telescope or peep in the windows of my neighbors. That type of peeping is wrong.

I'm talking about observing people when they are being truthful because they've let their guard down. I've seen this a lot with mothers bending over strollers trying to calm down a screaming baby and noticing how the mother is talking slower and calmer to her child. It's her behavior that lets me know she's hoping her child is just cranky and nothing is really wrong.

Yesterday, I observed a couple when leaving my local Starbucks. They hadn't a clue I was watching them, and in fact, I wasn't when I entered to get my coffee. Yes, I did make note of them. Probably because they were sitting outside and were just getting up from the table as I was entering. However, I didn't really notice them until leaving.

See, they lingered getting to their cars. Linger in the sense that you knew these were more than 2 people grabbing coffee. They were "secretly" together.

Their body language, plus the way they made their way to their cars let me know, one, if not both, were married to another. It was much more than the obvious goodbye kiss that gave them away. The way they touched, leaned into one another, walked each other back and forth to their respective cars, were among the many signals this wasn't a normal relationship. I can't explain it, but I just knew.

I don't know if people realize how much their body language reveals about them. I wonder if they know it's what you don't say that tells the true story. I also wonder if they did; if they'd act the same way.

8 comments:

I don't know about the couple you saw, but a big clue is when someone slips his wedding ring into his pocket as someone asks him to dance at a nightclub. He got caught by his sister-in-law so it was a short dance. lol!

I am fascinated about body language, and have been thinking that would love to learn more about it, to study a bit and learn to be more observant. Would that be spying a little? Discovering what people don't want you to know but give away with their bodies?

I know what you mean. My last job I worked breakfast at a hotel and there were times a couple would come down for breakfast late and I couldn't help overhear them talking. They didn't know anything about each other. They were strangers. Wow.

About Me

I started this blog in 2008 as an outlet while unemployed for 4 years. Now that I'm employed, I need an outlet to being just another employee in the company's database.
I still live in a fixer-upper, still married to a man that makes me laugh, and am still amazed at people's behavior -- some good, some funny, but all amaze me.